Computer games - lobbying at the highest level

and with support from universities

Killers of childhood under the Christmas tree

Government and industry in the frenzy of war games

By Sabine Schiffer, 6 December 2008:

Today, parents and teachers have to be very competent - even on the PC

- in order not to succumb to the sirens of the (computer) industry.
Economics and politics have formed an unholy alliance for the promotion
of virtual games that inflict massive damage on children. The Christmas
campaign advertises with the usual slogans of "educational opportunities"
and "common family fun". However, the opposite has been proved: screen
media reduce children's world of experience, promoting isolation and
making it more difficult to acquire skills such as speaking, reading, and
writing.

Computer gamers enjoy being instantly rewarded; this, however, reduces

the frustration tolerance which is needed for successful learning. In 2005,
a study of the Ifo Institute showed that the availability of computers at
home and their intensive use at school are not accompanied by better, but
by poorer school performance in basic PISA [Program for International
Student Assessment] competencies. They reduce the chance of a high
school recommendation, and they promote aggressive behavior[1] and
forgetfulness.[2] Already in 2005, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission had
pointed out the aggressive marketing techniques of the entertainment
industry.

Their aim is to deceive parents and educators and to promote the sale of
media products: harmless games like Sims and FIFA, or violent games like
World of Warcraft (online) and Call of Duty, which present a glorification
of war. Nintendo is primarily responsible for entry-level programs such as
the Mario series for Game Boys. In particular, the racing games already
train the kids how to win at the expense of others; shooter and strategy
games invent a defensive situation around the killing in order to calm the
parents and to please the Defence Minister. Microsoft as a leading
hardware supplier is also a sponsor of the Federal Ministry for Family
Affairs. The company initiates campaigns such as "Schools on the Net!",
which provide for the computerization of schools and for a sustainable
brand loyalty. Or it advertizes successfully with supposed educational
offerings such as "Smart Mice", a computer program which is allegedly
designed to promote the language skills of children in kindergarten.
Minister von der Leyen is the patron of the "Smart Mice" program.
Scientifically proven is the opposite, i.e. the continuous decrease of the
 2

language skills among first-graders. However, the close cooperation of the

monopolist with the Family Ministry is not the only amalgamation of that
industry and political decision makers.

Lobbying at the highest level and with support from universities

If you follow the cash flows of companies like Microsoft, Nintendo, and
Electronic Arts, which are represented in the BIU [Federal Association of
Interactive Entertainment Software], many things become clear. The BIU
drives a sophisticated PR strategy: self-financed studies, supported
"scientists", contests and prizes, and good public relations coupled with
lobbying at government level and in the Bundestag.

The MPs Dorothee Bär (CSU) and Jörg Tauss (SPD) have made it their
task to represent the interests of the BIU in Parliament – e.g., in 2007
with the initiative "Promote valuable computer games, strengthen media
competence", which is primarily concerned with economic development.
"Protection of minors" and "media competence" are merely a fig leaf.

Dorothee Bär's "commitment" does not only refer to "the discussion about
how to deal with computer games", as she affirms on the homepage of
the German Bundestag. She is also a substitute member of the
Broadcasting Council of the Deutsche Welle and member of the Board of
Trustees of the Federal Center for Political Education.[3] An expert hearing
made clear how she actually deals with the risks of computer games. After
a conference in May 2007, Bär told the press that there was no scientific
evidence of the relationship between playing computer games and
violence - immediately after experts had presented in detail precisely this
connection! One of the scientists, Prof. Dr. Christian Pfeiffer, Director of
the Criminological Research Institute of Lower Saxony, explained in detail,
"The underlying data are ... the findings from our student survey in 2005,
which revealed that every second boy at the age of 10 has experience
with games rated 16+ or 18+ ... This alone shows that there is reason
enough for action. ...

The producers of 'The Godfather', Electronic Arts, have issued a game

guide; on page 195 the following notice can be found, 'Especially
entertaining and bloody killing of the enemy will bring you a a respect
bonus.'" For particular murder plans the game suggests, "In 'Murder Order
8' Oscar Zavarelle is to be killed. The guide says, 'I want Oscar Zavarelle
to suffer. I've got my reasons. Don't kill him at once, but let him bleed to
death slowly. Like a pig ... The default is to shoot Oscar in the foot, then
in his shoulder, and finally, in his chin. Follow this plan to get an additional
respect bonus.'

Our review of 72 violence-oriented computer games has clearly

demonstrated: 'The Godfather' is not unique. The USK [German Self-
Monitoring of Entertainment Software] has released many equally brutal
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games for the market. This is not acceptable to us. Both empirical
evidence of media effects research and the basic values of our society
suggest that those games should be placed on the Index or even be
prosecuted."[4] But Ms. Bär does not see any need for action. In his
résumé, however, Christian Pfeiffer clearly demonstrates the connection
between intensive use of violent computer games, poor school
performance, and increased violence.

Since 2000, SPD member Tauss from the constituency district Karlsruhe-
country, has been the speaker of the Working Group for Education and
Research; for six years, he has been the chairman of his parliamentary
party in the Subcommittee New Media. A specialist? As an author, Tauss
writes for the journal Politik und Kultur[5], a publication of the German
Cultural Council[6], which claims to be scientific and is dedicated to the
study of PC games beyond the aspect of violence. Under the title
"Computer Games – an Important Cultural and Economic Asset", Tauss
declares the virtual fighting games to be of a protective value that is,
regrettably, "still missing the necessary public recognition".[7]

The booming games industry in Germany has long fought for this
recognition - with corresponding "expert reports" and with dirty tricks.
And, in the summer of 2008, received for that the honorable reward of the
German Cultural Council. The Federal Association of the Developers of
Computer Games G.A.M.E. was admitted as a member in the section Film
and Audiovisual Media. For Olaf Zimmermann, managing director of the
German Cultural Council, it is clear: "Art and games are no separate
worlds. Computer games are a cultural asset. They must be treated as
such and deserve public support."[8]

Thus, the orientation of the Federal Center for Political Education in this
area is not surprising. As part of its self-declared mission to strengthen
democratic awareness, it publishes educational media guidelines and
suggests an open scientific debate. But here, too, industry is hidden
behind: The graduated game researcher Christoph Klimmt (lecturer at the
Academy of Music and Drama in Hannover, advisory board member of the
eJournal GameScience, and also a writer for Politik und Kultur) is well-
known for his very positive assessments of computer games. At the
Federal Center, he can claim in an article, "Games give pleasure - and this
is important" [9] He himself likes to play "Battlefield 2" - a network
shooter game, in which a war in the Middle and Far East, under
participation of the United States and the European Union, provides plenty
of victims through the use of best military equipment.[10]

Among other "scientists", Dr. Jörg Müller-Lietzkow is a co-editor of Politik

und Kultur. He is also a welcome guest at the conference Clash of
Realities at the Fachhochschule Köln. And this conference is made possible
by Electronic Arts.
 4

One of the main venues for the games industry is the "GamesConvention"
in Leipzig. Till the end of 2008, the BIU was its honorary sponsor; from
2009 on, however, the BIU will host its own Fair under the name of
GAMESCom in Cologne, where Electronic Arts and the Spielraum-Institut
are also located. Not only are the Federal Center for Political Education
and the Spielraum-Institut regularly represented at the "Games
Convention" - the Fair is also supposed to introduce children and young
people to the virtual world. There is a special area called "GC Family"; in
the sections "Children's and Family Games", "Learning & Knowledge", and
"Media Competence", providers from the industry present themselves and
their products - according to his own statement, in order to come into
direct contact with the "core target group", the children.

Several times already, the Spielraum-Institut of the Fachhochschule Köln,

with its professors Winfred Kaminski and Jürgen Fritz, hit the headlines.
Too obviously, they provide the desired results of their supporters. They
go so far as to propose teaching "media competence" to the parents –
which, in fact, is only meant to encourage them to play PC games. As
Kaminski was convicted of plagiarism[11], the Federal Center for Political
Education had to remove his book from their program.

In Müller-Lietzow's articles, the violence in games that train killing is

played down, and attention is focussed on the "positive aspects", namely
the fact – according to the "media expert" – that they promote strategic
thinking and mathematical understanding[12]. The fact, however, that
these trainers had been developed by the military to reduce empathy and
the inhibition to kill[13], is concealed as far as possible. And it is true: we
learn (only) what we practice!

Killers of childhood steal time for living and for learning

Meanwhile, there are around 700,000 children and young people in

Germany who are addicted to online games and to the media. Altogether,
the number of people affected in Germany is about 1.5 to 2 million, and it
is growing. In particular, the strategy games in web communities have a
strong addictive nature. Whoever takes a break or misses an online date,
will fall behind. The danger of addiction is best avoided by strengthening
people's self-esteem – but this can only be done through person-to-
person contact. The concept of an early introduction to the media – similar
as that to alcohol - serves the industry, but not the users.[14]

A large number of "educational" offers for parents on the internet is

advertizing with the same slogan of an early and easy introduction.
Entirely missing is the note that children should not learn to use the
computer as a gaming device; and that during the stages of brain
development up to the age of 12, children should be offered other
activities. As for the much-evoked effects of so-called educational games,
which often turn out to be a gateway drug, evidence is lacking.
 5

Consultants who aim at introducing children "as early as possible" to

virtual worlds, and who offer computer clubs for six- to twelve-year-olds,
such as the SIN studio on the net[15], should be treated with a good deal
of scepticism. What is encouraged here, is consumption, nothing else. No
wonder that the renowned (and supported by the Federal Ministry for
Family Affairs) website of schau-hin.info is promoted by Arcor, TV-
Spielfilm, and the public broadcasters.

The sponsoring of AOL and CompuServe for the German Association for
Media Effects Research [DGMF] also fits into the picture, because the
DGMF has the task to relativize long since proven effects, especially those
of violent games. Those who claim that there are not sufficient long-term
studies available to prove the negative consequences of the (interactive)
electronic media in children's daily life, should be advised to check the
independence of the conflicting studies.

According to the logics of economic development, German Microsoft

Manager Achim Berg can claim in the FAZ (without providing any
references) that computerization reduces the educational gap[16]. The
opposite is true: as the Criminological Research Institute of Lower Saxony
revealed in a broad-based study, it even enlarges that gap – last not least
the gap between boys and girls, because girls spend significantly less time
in front of the PC and in virtual game scenarios. Generally, boys tend
more to consume particularly harmful offers, and not only families with
weaker educational backgrounds are vulnerable to the sirens of the
industry. Boys threaten to become the educational losers.

Trust is good – if you know who is controlling

Who relies on self-control mechanisms, will be disappointed. The German

entertainment software self-control (USK) merely serves as a fig leaf and
regularly rates products too low. Like the producers, Jürgen Fritz,
professor for game pedagogy, is a member of the decision-making body.
Fritz likes to point out the "positive sides" of the controversial violent and
addictive software offerings. He emphasizes that learning effects such as
speed and combining ability are not to be underestimated. The USK does
not possess the property of scientific evaluation, but it has a considerable
impact: by rating games 18+, it prevents that those games are put on the
Index and thus banned from the market by the Federal Department for
Media Harmful to Young Persons (BPjM).

Parents of young children should be warned: they will rather miss

educational opportunities by introducing electronic media products too
early. The parents of older children should at least consider one thing: on
the feast of love there should not be any presents that teach children how
to win at the expense of others. For those who prefer constructive media
education for young people, a 10 finger system trainer is recommandable
as a Christmas gift. You could also delegate the care of the family pictures
 6

archive to the adolescents, or at least teach them critical research.

Journalism and our democratic culture would certainly benefit from that.

About the author

Dr. Sabine Schiffer is a media scientist and director of the Institut für
Medienverantwortung in Erlangen.
http://www.medienverantwortung.de

[1] cf. the latest results of the "Computerspiele und Gewalt" Conference,
November 20, 2008, in Munich.

[2] Christiakis u.a. (2004): "Early television exposure and subsequent attentional
problems in children." In: Pediatrics, 113(4): 708-713. Pfeiffer u.a. (2006):
"Mediennutzung, Schulerfolg, Jugendgewalt und die Krise der Jungen" In:
Zeitschrift für Jugendkriminalrecht und Jugendhilfe 3/2006 (s. www.kfn.de);
Robinson u.a. (2001). "Effects of Reducing Children's Television and Video Game
Use on Aggressive Behavior." in: Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med., 155: 17 - 23. (sog.
Stanford-Studie); Anderson, Craig (2006): Violent Video Game Effects on
Children and Adolescents. Oxford Univ-Press; Hüther u.a. (22007):
Computersüchtig - Kinder im Smog moderner Medien, Padmos-Verlag; Spitzer
(2005): Vorsicht Bildschirm! München, ders: (2005): "Computer in der Schule?"
In: Nervenheilkunde 5/2005: 355-358; Grossman/DeGaetano (2002): Wer hat
unseren Kindern das Töten beigebracht? Stuttgart.

[3]
http://www.bundestag.de/bundestag/abgeordnete17/biografien/B/baer_dorothee
.html

[4] http://www.kfn.de/versions/kfn/assets/offenerbrief052007.pdf

[5] http://www.kulturrat.de/puk_liste.php?detail=57&rubrik=puk

[6] http://www.kulturrat.de

[7] http://www.tauss.de/index.php?
mod=content&menu=1002&page_id=5363&level=1

[8] http://www.sz-online.de/nachrichten/multimedia/artikel.asp?id=1914392

[9] http://www.bpb.de/themen/6Y8B15,0,Spiele_machen_Freude_
%96_und_das_ist_wichtig_so.html

[10] http://www.bpb.de/themen/SGJ2ZO,0,Die_Spielsaison_ist_er%F6ffnet.html

[11] http://www.kfn.de/versions/kfn/assets/Textvergleich-Synopse.pdf

[12] http://www.pcwelt.de/start/gaming_fun/archiv/136814/
medienexperte_fordert_ende_der_gewaltdiskussion_um_computerspielen/
 7

[13] It is no coincidence that the bus of the German Armed Forces tours the
country in search of young cannon fodder with a rich offering of such games on
board.

[14] Competent advice from independent sites [in German]:

www.rollenspielsucht.de or www.aktiv-gege n-mediensucht.de .

[15] http://www.sin-net.de

[16] Berg, Achim 26.10.2008 "Mit dem PC kommt die Gerechtigkeit" Frankfurter
Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung

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Source: http://www.hintergrund.de/content/view/319/136/